3 June 2012

Knuffle Bunny: A Cautionary Tale by Mo Willems is a wonderful story for any child who has an attachment to a stuffed animal or blanket. In this story Daddy, Trixie, and Knuffle Bunny take a trip to the Laundromat. Trixie helps Daddy do the laundry, but she leaves Knuffle Bunny behind.

Every child, no matter how young or old, fears that she will lose something. Mo Willems’ illustrations help the reader see Trixie’s emotions as she and Knuffle Bunny experience their frightening adventure. In the pictures, the background scenes are black-and-white photographs of the cityscape where Daddy and Trixie live, and all of the people are Mo Willems’ own cartoonish color drawings superimposed on the photographs. It is an interesting medium that produces a realistic but whimsical mood for the story. The characters are larger than life, playing to the child’s imagination, but the setting is exactly what any city kids might see.

I know that most children won’t be making comparisons between their own lives and the pictures in the book, but it does highlight the important fact of the story: Take care of your favorite things. When Trixie didn’t take care of Knuffle Bunny, she lost him. However, Mommy and Daddy love Trixie so much that they dash back to the Laundromat, and Daddy won’t give up searching for Knuffle Bunny. As teachers and parents, it is our job to take care of our students and children so we can teach them how to take care of their belongings.

What are your thoughts on this story? Did you enjoy it? Were you able to learn or teach a lesson with this book? Have you had your own experiences with a lost toy or favorite thing?

Find out more about Mo Willems, Trixie and Knuffle Bunny, and all of his other books on his website. Let us know what you think of his other books, too!